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Nielsen has agreed a deal to go private for US$16 billion.
After rebuffing a takeover attempt from a consortium including Elliott Management last week, Nielsen has accepted an improved offer from a private equity consortium led by Elliott’s tech-focused private equity arm Evergreen and Brookfield.
The deal offers US$28 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately US$16 billion, including the assumption of debt. By contrast, the previous proposal only offered US$25 per share for an overall value of around US$15 billion.
The proposal, which has unanimously been supported by Nielsen’s board, represents a 10% premium over the Consortium’s previous proposal and a 60% premium over Nielsen’s unaffected stock price as of March 11, 2022.
Elliott has long pushed for change at Nielsen, and utilised its 4.6% stake to force the company to consider splitting into two companies in 2019. This plan was scrapped a year later, when Nielsen sold its consumer goods data unit for US$2.7 billion.
James A. Attwood, chairperson of Nielsen’s Board of Directors, said: “After a thorough assessment, the Board determined that this transaction represents an attractive outcome for our shareholders by providing a cash takeout at a substantial premium, while supporting Nielsen’s commitment to our clients, employees and stakeholders. The Consortium sees the full potential of Nielsen’s leadership position in the media industry and the unique value we deliver for our clients worldwide.”
Dave Gregory, managing partner, Brookfield Business Partners, said: “Nielsen is deeply embedded in the media ecosystem and a trusted service provider to its customers. As a private company, Nielsen will be even better positioned to deliver the best measures of consumers’ rapidly changing behaviours across all channels and platforms. We are pleased to invest in this iconic company and help lead the industry into the next generation of audience measurement.”


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Children’s products from breakfast cereals to drinks during breaks are a billion dollar business. But their often high sugar content has been criticized by health experts – as has advertising for it, which is often aimed at children. A discounter is now drawing consequences.
From children’s pudding to yoghurt with chocolate beans, from breakfast cocoa to sugary drinks for the school break: food for children is a billion dollar business. However, the composition of the products is often a thorn in the side of health experts.
They complain about too much sugar, too much fat and too much salt in many of the often elaborately advertised products and have been calling for a rethink in retail and industry for years.
The discounter Lidl has now taken on a pioneering role. The low-cost provider announced on Tuesday that from the coming financial year, which begins on March 1 at Lidl, it will no longer advertise unhealthy foods aimed at children – such as sugary yoghurts or drinks, but also chocolate.
There should only be exceptions for promotional items for Christmas, Easter or Halloween – for example for chocolate Santa Clauses or Easter bunnies.
“Lidl is the first German food retailer to implement a corresponding recommendation from the World Health Organization (WHO),” said the discounter. But the company goes even further.
By the end of 2025, Lidl also only wants to sell food that meets the WHO criteria for healthy food in packaging that is attractive to children. The packaging would be changed step by step.
“Since malnutrition in childhood increases the risk of nutrition-related diseases in adulthood, advertising healthy food and not advertising unhealthy food up to the age of 14 is central to health,” says a company presentation.
The science alliance Deutsche Allianz Noncommunicable Diseases praised that Lidl goes “significantly beyond the voluntary commitments of other manufacturers and retailers”.
Consumer organization Foodwatch urged competitors to follow Lidl’s example. “In view of rampant malnutrition among young people, with sometimes fatal consequences, this is an important step, but one that is long overdue,” said Luise Molling from Foodwatch. However, no statement was initially available from Aldi, Rewe and Edeka.
The fact is: According to scientific studies, around 15 percent of children and young people in Germany are currently overweight and six percent are even severely overweight (adiposity). This can lead to diseases such as type 2 diabetes, joint problems, high blood pressure and heart disease later in life.
“Numerous products with a children’s look are characterized above all by the fact that they contain plenty of sugar, fat and additives – and are often significantly more expensive,” criticized the Federal Association of Consumer Centers recently.
The problem is by no means limited to the retail chains’ own brands. A 2021 study by Foodwatch of 283 food products from leading brand manufacturers found that 85.5 percent of products advertised specifically for children contained too much sugar, fat and/or salt by WHO standards.
The result was hardly better than in 2015, despite the industry’s voluntary commitment to reduce sugar. And there has been little progress since 2021, according to a Foodwatch spokesman on Tuesday.
The brand manufacturers naturally see things differently. At the request of the German Press Agency, the consumer goods giant Unilever (Langnese, Knorr) emphasized that it had already stopped marketing and advertising food and drinks to children under the age of 16 for both traditional media and social media in April last year.
The food company Mondelez, known for the brands Milka and Oreo, announced that in all its advertising measures in Germany it adheres to the voluntary commitment “not to place any advertising that aims to reach children under the age of 14”.
Competitor Danone also emphasized: “We support regulations in this direction.” Products such as the fruit dwarfs “less sweet” already meet the nutritional criteria of the WHO, said a company spokeswoman.
However, the industry’s commitment to date has obviously not convinced all critics by a long shot. The federal government has now put the issue on the agenda.
The coalition agreement of the traffic light coalition states in the chapter on nutrition: “Advertising for children with high sugar, fat and salt content may no longer exist in programs and formats for under 14-year-olds in the future.”
And the consumer protection ministers of the federal states have already called for a junk food advertising ban for children in 2022. For large parts of the population, stricter rules for unhealthy children’s products would probably break open doors.
In a survey conducted by the Federal Association of Consumer Advice Centers, 83 percent of consumers approved of upper limits for sugar, fat and salt in foods that are designed and presented for children.

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Beyond Facebook and Twitter: PepsiCo understands on- and off-line social networking
PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi delivered the keynote at BlogHer 2011, a women's blogger conference, on August 6 in San Diego. I briefly spoke with Jamie Stein, director of digital initiatives for PepsiCo, about why the food and beverage company is making its third appearance at the annual event and why Pepsi is committed to digital, female-driven brand initiatives.
PepsiCo launched the following activations at BlogHer: Indra's Call to Action, which asks women to share stories of inspiration for the chance to become a correspondent for PepsiCo; PepsiCo WIN (Women's Inspiration Network), the pilot of an online portal for women; The PepsiCo Promenade, an on-site display of raw materials that PepsiCo uses in their products; and PepsiCo Place, a hub for bloggers to share hand-written messages via Post-it notes with conference companions.
For the past couple of years, PepsiCo has seemingly paved the way for social marketers, particularly with the immensely successful ongoing “Pepsi Refresh” campaign. The company invests $1 million per month in the campaign, which elicited tens of millions of votes several months after launch.
Although the company has also launched several questionable initiatives, it will be remembered for projects like “Refresh” and the BlogHer activations not only because of its social expertise but also because of its ability to identify and tap into passionate, engaged segments.
Here's what Stein had to say about PepsiCo's interest in BlogHer.
Direct Marketing News (DMN): Why is it important for PepsiCo to be at BlogHer?
Jamie Stein (PepsiCo): Women make up the majority of household purchasers but it's also very important in terms of how they're transforming purchase and lifestyle choices. We are at BlogHer because we understand their influence and power on social media, what they're talking about, and what they want.
DMN: Is there a difference in how PepsiCo connects with women digitally, compared with more traditional channels?
Stein: We're all about marketing with women instead of to them. This is an important nuance that we've been doing for quite some time now. Marketing is not about a one-size-fits-all approach, it's about a dialogue with women. At PepsiCo we're not all about campaigns and going big and then going dark for awhile. It's about engaging women in a more ongoing way. It has to be a mix, a combination of offline and online. We still have an offline approach, but you also want to mix in what's happening on blogs and the conversations going on there. It's not about one or the other. You need a complete integration. That's why the BlogHer conference is so important. Nothing takes the place of offline engagement.


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The strike by workers at the Manesar plant of Maruti Suzuki India entered its fifth day today and with no signs of an end to the stalemate, the management said its overall production will be lower than Monday.
The strike by workers at Suzuki Powertrain India Ltd (SPIL) and Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd in support of their colleagues at Maruti's Manesar plant also continued.
"The Manesar plant remains captive in the hands of workers. There is no production possible there. Due to the impact of components from SPIL, production at Gurgaon will be even lower compared to yesterday," a Maruti Suzuki India spokesperson said.
On Monday, the company said the Gurgaon plant produced around 1,800 vehicles, as against the normal 2,800 units a day.
SPIL supplies engines and transmissions to MSI's Manesar and Gurgaon plants for different car models.
The MSI management claims workers have indulged in random acts of violence like beating up company managers, supervisors and those co-workers
"They have also damaged equipment and property. In the situation, production remains at a standstill at the plant," it added.
Workers at MSI's Manesar plant went on a stay-in strike in the afternoon on Friday (October 7), affecting production.
The total number of workers who went on a stay-in strike inside the Manesar plant was around 2,000. This included all categories of workers, like regular and contractual employees, apprentices and trainees.
On Sunday, MSI dismissed 10 workers, terminated five trainees and suspended 10 employees in connection "with the strike and violence at the Manesar factory premises".
Shares of MSI were being quoted at Rs 1,077.55 per share on the BSE in morning trade today, up 0.41 per cent from their previous close.


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The new Touran debuts at the Leipzig Motor Show, featuring fresh styling, pioneering technology and a range of efficient new petrol and diesel engines. The new Touran is set to build on the strong reputation of the 1.13 million examples of the compact MPV sold across Europe to date. The new Touran styling takes inspiration from the design direction established by the Polo, Golf and new Touareg.
S, SE, Sport
Golf Mk V, Caddy, Passat, Audi A3, SEAT Leon, Altea, Toledo Mk III, Skoda Octavia


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A new touchscreen display that identifies users by their fingerprints is on the horizon. The device could redefine online security and the way we interact with computers in the public sphere.
Current touchscreen displays emit light but can't sense it, making it impossible for the screen to recognize fingerprints, unless a supplemental sensor is added to the screen. Researchers Christian Holz and Patrick Baudisch, of the Hasso Plattner Institute in Germany, want to change that.
PHOTOS: Tasty Tech Eye Candy of the Week
"Displays cannot scan fingerprints and fingerprint sensors cannot display images. What we have invented does both. No one has done this before," Holz told New Scientist.
Their prototype uses a glass screen the size a large tablet, which includes millions of tiny optical fibers bundled together. Each fiber emits rays of light from a projected image below the screen, while an infrared light source bounces light off the fingerprints and back to an infrared camera.
Holz said early tests have yielded fingerprint recognition accuracy "up to FBI standards." The researchers are now attempting to build a touchscreen that doesn't require a projector.
BLOG: Colorado Town Proposes $100 Drone Bounty
Holz and Baudisch imagine coffee shops investing in large, interactive touchscreen table tops where customers, instead of bringing their laptops, could browse the Internet, answer emails or get a little work done. Due to the screen's fingerprint-identifying capabilities, researchers even envision an environment where highly sensitive e-documents could be safely and securely shared across a table.
When and if these biometric touchscreens land in public, let's just hope whoever is in charge of their upkeep owns some heavy-duty glass cleaner with extra disinfectant.
via New Scientist
Credit: Hasso Plattner Institute


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As the midcap index moves from strength to strength, value investors are reconsidering their bets on smaller companies on worries that the recent euphoria has driven up many of these shares into the stratosphere.
India is considering a proposal to make it mandatory for the strategic sectors of Defence, Space and Atomic Energy to use 'made in India' chips.
A novel low-cost lab-on-a-chip device to analyse sputum from patients with pulmonary diseases such as tuberculosis and asthma has been developed.
Chip packaging firms have also been developing technologies for smart wearables, in which chips that power such gadgets are packed into smaller and smaller spaces.
Samsung is the world's top smartphone maker but its market share fell in the second quarter when its critically acclaimed S6 models launched.
China's key share indexes fell on Tuesday, following three days of rebound, as a sharp correction in blue chips offset gains in small caps.
SPIL said the offer by ASE to buy a 25 per cent stake in the open market was purely opportunistic and undervalued the company.
In an effort to reduce counterfeit and credit card fraud more than 200 million payment cards have been issued with embedded computer chips in the US, ahead of a Oct. 1 deadline for the switch to such cards.


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Microsoft has released the Windows 10 Insider preview build 18995 from the 20H1 branch to Windows Insiders in the Fast ring, and it's packed with new features for the desktop and smartphones.
Testers on the Fast ring who update to this build will be able to try out using the Windows Hello PIN code for signing into Safe mode, the troubleshooting Windows state that allows users to rule out whether default settings and basic device drivers are behind a glitch.
Currently Windows 10 users need to use a password for the task, but as Windows 10 20H1, they will be able to just sign in to the device with the Windows Hello PIN.
Microsoft says it's the next "step forward in our passwordless journey", referring to its efforts to weed out passwords from sign-in scenarios.
In Windows 10 version 1903, the latest generally available version, users can setup a passwordless 'phone number Microsoft account' only with a phone number in mobile Office apps, or Outlook on iOS or Android devices.
This feature could come in handy for Microsoft fans who take a punt on its forthcoming Android-based dual-screen Surface Duo phone announced this week. The device, due out next year, is another piece of the puzzle in Microsoft's efforts to unify Android phones with Windows PCs via the Microsoft Your Phone app.
So far, Microsoft has focused on tightly integrating Windows 10 with select Galaxy devices, such as the Galaxy Note10. This preview brings new features from the Galaxy Note10 to the Samsung Galaxy S10, S10+, S10e, S10 5G, and the Galaxy Fold.
The update includes a feature called Link to Windows, which, Microsoft promises, "seamlessly connects your phone to your Windows 10 PC".
"With Link to Windows natively integrated into your device, it's simple and convenient to send messages, manage notifications, sync photos, and mirror your phone on your PC," Microsoft says.
Also rolling out to these Galaxy devices is 'Phone screen', a Your Phone feature that allows users to access Android phone apps from the PC. The phone apps can be accessed using the keyboard and mouse or touch.
"You can try out multi-touch gestures such as pinch to zoom, rotate, or swipe from your PC's touchscreen while using Phone screen," Microsoft says.
The features are rolling out to "select global markets", and Phone screen is a "gradual rollout", so some users might not see it just yet.
The Your Phone app on Windows 10 now also displays the device's battery level and its phone's screen wallpaper.
Microsoft has also added several improvements to Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) detailed in release notes.


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Shenzhen: In a bid to drive its integrated development in global markets, Chinese smartphone maker OPPO on Tuesday announced the establishment of its new global sales and global marketing business units.
While Alen Wu has been appointed as the company’s Vice President and President of Global Sales, Brian Shen has taken charge as Vice President and President of Global Marketing, OPPO said.
Both Wu and Shen will report to OPPO CEO Tony Chen.
“OPPO has always run our business with a global vision of ‘One Market, One OPPO’. We consider global markets as one market in which we need to focus on worldwide resource integration for development globally,” said Chen.
Wu has served as President of International Business at OPPO since May 2018, while Shen has been President of Mainland China Business at OPPO since May 2018.


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Hospice Degustation Secures Quartz Reef Support
SEVEN – the third annual degustation dinner and auction - has followed chef Hannes Bareiter from Glenfalloch to new premises Titi, in St Clair. With just 80 places available, tickets are on sale now via the Hospice.
The degustation is a key fundraiser for Hospice, combining a seven-course dinner with an exclusive auction and entertainment provided by The Plus Ones.
Hospice CEO Ginny Green says it’s brilliant to have Quartz Reef come on board as an official sponsor for SEVEN, but also becoming one of Hospice’s treasured Corporate Supporters.
“We have also pulled together a tremendous collection of one-off auction items including a party package with the gorgeous Lemon Pie Caravan, a Wanaka weekend for four including lunch at Cardrona Distillery and posh glamping at The Camp, as well as some of Deborah Fallowfeild’s delicious jewellery, all fitting the tone of the evening.”
For more information, visit https://otagohospice.co.nz/support-us/events/item/67
· CJ Edmonds - Botanical Painting
· Private Event Package – The Plus One’s and Lemon Pie Event Caravan
· Dine with the Chef Experience for 10 people with award winning Chef Hannes Bareiter (Titi)
· Deborah Fallowfield Jewellery
· Luxury Wanaka Weekend Package for four people for two nights including a luxury vehicle, Cardrona Distillery lunch & cocktails, coffees and accommodation in Luxury Domes at The Camp with breakfast.
For more information contact:
Amy Ruthven on 03 463 6005
Today the Wanaka Hospice Shop opens its super-sized space at the extended Brownston St premises under the watchful eye o...
As we welcome in 2024 I wanted to give you a rundown on what the year ahead holds for us.
Now in its tenth year, the Farmers Christmas Campaign has raised nearly $8M, helping to ensure anyone with a life-limiti...


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Two of the last Blockbusters in America are closing, and with them, so are Alaskans’ chances to see a jockstrap once worn by actor Russell Crowe.
The leather groin protector was actually a movie prop in the boxing film “Cindarella Man,” and has been housed in the Blockbuster store in Anchorage, Alaska, since May. It was a gift to the store — one of the last two in the state, and one of only three remaining in the U.S. — from HBO’s “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver,” after Oliver did a segment on the store.
Oliver said he hoped Russell Crowe memorabilia, including the jockstrap, would help the store attract customers to the store.
Apparently it wasn’t enough, though: the Anchorage Daily News reports that the Anchorage store is closing this summer after it sells off its inventory. Also shutting down is the Blockbuster in Fairbanks, Alaska, leaving only one shop of the formerly giant video rental chain left in the whole country, in Bend, Oregon. The three stores were some of a handful of independently owned and operated Blockbusters that survived the corporation declaring bankruptcy back in 2010.
Oliver’s team at “Last Week Tonight” grabbed the Crowe memorabilia earlier this year when the actor auctioned off a number of pieces from his career as a celebration of his divorce. Oliver showcased it all on the show, and revealed that “Last Week Tonight” paid $7,000 for the jockstrap.
According to the report, what’s happening to the jock strap and other items isn’t quite clear.
“The memorabilia is probably going to go back to the owner, which is fine, because I don’t want a jockstrap in my house,” Daymude told the Anchorage Daily News.
That likely means the Crowe items will wind up back in the hands of HBO. After that, maybe they’ll adorn the “Last Week Tonight” set — or maybe Oliver will attempt to save America’s final Blockbuster by shipping the Crowe gear off the Oregon, preserving the public’s ability to visit the jockstrap as originally intended.


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The Hungarian Competition Authority's (GVH) previous sector inquiries and measures have indicated that the authority's primary objective is to enforce extensive consumer welfare. The accelerated sector inquiry is a frequently used new tool in the hands of the GVH, which allows the authority to examine a sector comprehensively and propose immediate action. The GVH's proposals, if implemented, will bring fundamental changes to the online booking service sector.
- GVH's favourite new tool: the accelerated sector inquiry
In accelerated sector inquiries, the GVH collects information on the market concerned, taking into account the contributions of market players, and then takes measures and often proposes regulatory action. The latest sector inquiry into the online booking industry follows further sector inquiries in the non-perishable food market and in the dairy market.
As we previously covered the GVH has initiated an accelerated sector inquiry into the online accommodation booking and service market in Hungary. The current investigation follows an earlier sector inquiry conducted in 2016, in which the GVH had already investigated the regularity of price parity clauses of service providers.
2. Draft report following the sector inquiry into the booking service sector
The investigation was necessary due to a number of consumer complaints and increased media attention indicating that there may be potential irregularities affecting consumers in the market practices of one of the largest online accommodation providers. Therefore the GVH reviewed the market in detail and drew a number of significant conclusions in its draft report.
In its report the GVH
- invites the legislator to prohibit online accommodation intermediaries from using so-called price parity clauses, which require accommodation providers to undertake to the online booking service provider that they will not offer the given accommodation at a lower price than the price set on their platform, or on their own platform;
- recommends that online service providers should make the ranking of search results transparent, so that consumers can make informed choices that benefit them; and
- in the light of numerous complaints from accommodation providers, proposes to set out a regulatory framework for the general terms and conditions of online booking service providers in order to improve the efficiency of complaint handling mechanisms between online providers and accommodation providers and to balance the legal consequences of failure to perform by each party.
Market players have 30 days to comment on the draft report. The authority will consider the observations and publish its final report at a later stage.
As the GVH outlines in its press release, tourism is one of Hungary's leading industries, accounting for more than 10% of GDP and employing hundreds of thousands of workers. The changes proposed by the GVH will fundamentally affect the business practices of online booking service providers, prompting market players to follow developments in the draft report with increased attention.
We will continue to report on the latest developments and changes of legislation affecting market participants.


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A new report about our online buying habits has revealed a significant spike in digital sales of pajamas, with transactions in April increasing 143 percent over March.
The findings are in line with a similar phenomenon observed by Walmart’s sales executives in March, who found that customersweren’t buying pants at pre-pandemic rates.
The latest findings, which were outlined in a report shared by Adobe Digital Insights, utilized data from 80 of the top 100 online retailers that use Adobe software to track transactions. The company has said over 1 trillion of these transactions have been processed with its software, across 100 million unique products.
The data pertaining to March and April was then compiled into Adobe’s first-ever Digital Economy Index, which measured buying habits across digital platforms in order to analyze and predict consumer trends.
According to the Digital Economy Index, or DEI, pajama sales increased 143 percent while sales of other apparel items — namely pants, jackets and bras — slumped. The DEI also observed other spikes in shorts and t-shirt sales (up 67 percent and 47 percent, respectively), though none were nearly as drastic as the demand for pajamas.
Overall, however, online apparel sales increased 34 percent, largely due to lower pricing, Adobe’s report indicated.


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Getting ready for a new fashion season, YG Entertainment released another video clip for its clothing line, NONAGON, featuring some of its highly-anticipated trainees.
On March 3, YG Entertainment released the video for the 2015 F/W season. The video included eye-catching visuals and catchy background music as iKON′s B.I and Bobby flaunted the new line of clothes. Also appearing in the clip was Lisa, one of the new members of YG′s anticipated girl group.
B.I and Bobby are said to have produced and created the rap for the background song after receiving inspiration from the brand concept of NONAGON.


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Retailers invest significant resources into their fourth-quarter plans, and for good reason. While shoppers are expected to get a later start on holiday shopping this year when compared to recent years, industry analysts are still expecting overall retail spending to top $1.3 trillion this year.
How your organization prepares for the resulting flood of customer inquiries can affect seasonal and future sales and have lasting impacts on your brand, for better or worse.
In the special edition holiday 2023 preview issue of Retail Today, Ubiquity COO Corey Besaw shared the key considerations for delivering stress-free customer service this holiday season.
The key factors for retailers to consider include:
Analyzing the customer journey. The importance of optimizing the customer journey ahead of seasonal spikes cannot be overstated. Access the customer journey in every channel to spot and solve for friction points and review the top contact drivers. Holiday prep is also a good time to revisit your general online or in-app FAQs to make sure customers can find the answers to their most common questions.
Intentional recruiting and training for seasonal agents. Connecting with colleges and universities to recruit students for seasonal work is one targeted recruiting approach that can help reduce absenteeism and attrition. When it comes to training new seasonal staff, that approach should also be more targeted. Rather than focusing on every question an agent might receive, focus training on the most common contact types.
Utilizing humans and technology to drive better CX. There has been a lot of discussion about AI’s potential to disrupt many aspects of how we all do business. When it comes to CX, AI has the power to help drive better outcomes, but it’s important for organizations to find ways to align human talent with AI. One approach could be to program AI to help guide agents through calls in real-time to ensure the quickest and most compliant resolution.
A well-prepared customer service process is essential to avoiding an overwhelmed team and frustrated customers during a seasonal surge in customer inquiries, orders and questions. Failing to provide stress-free customer service could turn an otherwise successful holiday season into a risk for your brand reputation rather than a key opportunity to shine.
For more insights, read the complete article in the latest issue of Retail Today.


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Last October, Kristelle Siarza jumped from The Garrity Group Public Relations after almost three years to become chief executive officer of her own firm, Siarza Social Digital. Specializing in marketing, social media strategy, web strategy and more, the company has grown from an idea to six staffers in less than a year — seven, if you include the person Siarza says is the "unofficial" chief fun officer.
Beyond running her company — which focuses specifically on clients in the tech, tourism, hospitality and business-to-business sectors — the 2005 La Cueva High School graduate is a part-time instructor at the University of New Mexico, sits on the board of directors of New Mexico's Filipino American Community Council and is a member of New Mexico Association of Commerce and Industry’s entrepreneurship committee.
We take a look inside Siarza's work day, which kicks off at 4 a.m., hops all over Albuquerque and includes the video game Super Smash Brothers, Halloween costumes and mixed martial arts before wrapping up at 8:30 p.m. Check out the gallery for a more in-depth look at how she fits these things in her work day.


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Issac Blunt’s COVID-19 Experience
By Isaac Blunt
COVID-19, otherwise known as coronavirus, is the largest pandemic to hit the world since the Spanish Influenza. It has caused a global shutdown of nonessential personnel and activities. For the first time since I can remember, Disney World closed its doors to visitors and the Great Mouse put on its safety mask.
However, there are people who remain at work, fighting the good fight. Essential workers like police, firemen, hospitals, construction, and grocery workers remain in their regular stores and stations continuing to serve the public. I am a sophomore at Reinhardt University and reporter for the Eagle Eye. I work my day job as a Publix customer service staff. Below are some of the photos I have accrued of several stores in his area.
These photos serve as proof of the severity of the pandemic. In his four years working for Publix, I have never seen so many people scared and panicking about keeping their homes stocked with toilet paper, hand sanitizer and spaghetti sauce. Publix is experiencing a never before seen surge in business. Daily, they run out of clean shopping carts for customers. An additional hiring in stores has taken place company-wide to help the rising unemployment as well as to process the sheer increase in the volume of business.
In addition, to continue providing essential goods for the public, Publix is doing its part to combat the “Big Bad Rona”. They perform hourly sanitation on all points of contact across the store, provide freshly cleaned carts for customers and put into effect social distancing precautions. Publix’s aisles have been marked with one-way directional arrows to limit the amount of people passing one another, and has taped down six-feet distances on registers for waiting customers.
For more news and updates, follow us on social media:


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According to the 2022 E-Commerce White Paper of the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy – Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam’s e-commerce in 2021 will maintain a stable growth rate at 16%, retail revenue will reach $13.7 billion.
The content of the White Paper is built from the results of surveys of nearly 5,000 consumers and about 10,000 businesses, along with aggregated data from a number of reputable organizations around the world.
The report shows that in 2021, Vietnam’s e-commerce will reach 13.7 billion USD, up 16% compared to 2020. In Southeast Asia, Vietnam ranks in the top 3 countries with growth rates largest online retailer in the region, after Indonesia and Thailand.
Compared to 2015 (the year when the e-commerce boom started in Vietnam), it is forecasted that in 2022, the retail e-commerce value will increase four times, from 4 billion USD to more than 16 billion USD. It is forecasted that by 2025, Vietnam will reach $39 billion, ranking second in terms of e-commerce growth in Southeast Asia.
According to the Report, in 2021, Vietnam will have 54.6 million consumers shopping online, an increase of 10.75% compared to 2020. It is forecasted that in 2022, Vietnam will have about 57 – 60 million consumers shopping Online.
In 2017, it was estimated that each Vietnamese person spent 186 USD (equivalent to about 4.4 million VND) for online shopping. However, by 2021, the amount of money a Vietnamese person spends online shopping has increased to 251 USD (nearly 6 million VND), an increase of 35% compared to 2017.
Source: Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy
According to a forecast of the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy, in 2022, on average, a Vietnamese person will spend from 260 – 285 USD (from 6.1 – 6.7 million VND) for online shopping.
In terms of groups of goods and services, a survey by the Ministry of Industry and Trade shows that in 2021, the most purchased goods groups are clothes, shoes and cosmetics, with 69% of people shopping online.
Household appliances and technology and electronics are the next two most purchased items, with 64% and 51% respectively of online shoppers. Books, stationery, flowers, gifts and food are also items of interest in 2021.
These types of goods and services are often purchased online. Source: Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy
In addition, in 2021, 73% of online shoppers choose to pay cash on delivery. Only 37% of users choose to pay by e-wallet, up 14% compared to 2020.
Notably, consumers buying goods on foreign e-commerce websites accounted for 43%. The reason why consumers choose to buy goods from foreign sellers on the e-commerce trading floor of Vietnam is cheaper prices, better product quality, foreign-branded goods, and only foreign traders.
In addition, the 2022 E-commerce White Paper also shows that the criteria consumers care about when shopping online are the reputation of the website, the e-commerce application, and fast and flexible delivery according to the customer’s booking schedule. products, many promotions, cheaper prices than buying at the store…
In contrast, obstacles when buying online come from poor quality goods compared to advertising, fear of personal information being disclosed, high shipping costs, poor quality of shipping and delivery services; poor customer service.
The reason why users do not shop online is that it is more convenient to shop at stores, difficult to verify the quality of goods, do not trust sellers, fear of revealing personal information, and have no experience in online shopping…


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An Indian entrepreneur has taken the game of cricket into cyber space with a new mentoring app. A new smartphone-based mentoring app that gives budding amateur cricketers the chance to get direct access to their cricketing heroes for advice on how to improve their game was unveiled at Lord's Cricket Ground in London recently. Proatar, co-founded by Indian entrepreneur Srikanth Tanguturi and Sri Lankan investor Christy Kulasingam, is designed as a revolutionary new sports coaching-cum-mentoring platform to help passionate amateurs to get more out of their game through insights and inspiration from the elites of the game. It has over 20 cricketing experts already signed up, including Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma and West Indian legends like Michael Holding and Courtney Walsh. “I am really excited about sharing some of my cricketing knowledge and journey to inspire young kids on their journey,” said Sharma, a prolific batsman in the Indian cricket team. [caption id="attachment_21355" align="alignleft" width="247"]
Initial app squad[/caption] The new free-to-download app, initially available via an invitation-only referral code to control numbers, had its global launch in September, when it became available on Android and iOS via the Apple App Store as well as Google Play store. “We are delighted to take the covers off our platform at Lord's. The very simple format allows amateurs anywhere in world to have direct access to their heroes. The aim is for this to work complementary to a coach and we look forward to talents being discovered through Proatar over time,” Tanguturi said. The app allows keen cricketers to send in videos of their technique to one of around 30 cricketing greats on Proatar's list, who then assess the techniques and respond with detailed suggestions to improve their game. “Advice can sometimes come in one ear and out of the other, but when you draw on the amateur's video and show the player whether they have their leg straight when they shouldn't - that advice is likely to stick,” explained Holding. “Having taken a lot from the game, it is time to give something back to cricket,” added Sri Lankan cricketer Mahela Jayawardene. The average price point of the app-based mentoring session is around $150 for a video consultation. Elites are priced at different levels, ranging from $100 to $400 per transaction. “This sounds like a big number, and it is a premium product, but when we consider how much it would cost to have a single one-on-one session with an elite, assuming first you have access to them, and the value they can add, we believe this is a good investment in an amateur's game,” said Kulasingam. Each paid video consultation is returned within 14 days by the elite chosen by the amateur. A tailored feedback video with a mix of annotations, voiceover commentary, and picture-in-picture analysis by the elite is designed to help ambitious players improve their game. Technical skills as well as non-technical query videos, for example on captaincy, nutrition, strength and conditioning, and the mental side of the game, can also be sent to a chosen elite. The app has a charity and corporate social responsibility (CSR) element built into it, offering people and companies the chance to sponsor budding talent from the villages of India by buying sessions for them as a gift. “The app philosophy takes the inspiration aspect seriously, adding gifting options for those who want to give a great moment and memory to passionate cricketers around them, and for corporations to provide consultations to deserving or under-privileged amateurs via gift certificate donations,” said Tanguturi, who has a budding cricketer in his young son. Amateur cricketers have the choice of selecting a team of mentors for each aspect of the game that interests them. Others, including ones representing additional disciplines such as sports psychology, nutrition, strength & conditioning, and physio, will also be made available on the platform in due course. Proatar, which combines the terms professional and avatar, has an initial squad of elite mentors representing a broad mix of the game - current and former male and female players as well as coaches from around the world. Cricket is the starting point of the mentoring platform, which the co-founders say is easily translatable to other games such as tennis and golf over time.


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Whilst the company has announced its intention to leave the UK market - and sell its operations in Wales, they have confirmed that the interests of employees at the affected sites will be of the utmost importance. We have been working very closely with the company and we will work with prospective new buyers to offer any assistance as appropriate from the Welsh Government to secure the viability and future of the sites in Wales.
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Not the most pleasant of nights ahead with more rain and strong winds at times! But at least it will feel mild!
Lily says she can't walk past a shop containing the merchandise without wanting to buy something!
A maths teacher exchanged "flirtatious and sexually suggestive" text messages with a 14-year-old girl pupil, it was claimed today.


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US Vogue has finally put an Asian model on its pages albeit, it was in an article that spotlights the brightest stars in fashion today. Lakshmi Menon was listed as one of 6 such girls. Model: Lakshmi Menon Editorial: Shine … Continue reading


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According to leaked images, Google Pixel 6A looks like a more compact device and has no headphone jack.
Considering just how much consumers liked the Pixel 5A when it was released halfway through 2021, smartphone users have high hopes for the next budget Pixel device.
Trusted leaker Steve Hammerstofer, aka OnLeaks, leaked images of Google Pixel 6A, which offer an overview of what the mid-range device looks like and can tech-savvies a little bit regarding what they can expect from the new device.
A glimpse at what Pixel 6A may look like
According to the leaked images, the tech community concluded that it looks almost identical to the standard Pixel 6. More precisely, the device seems to feature the same black cameras strip on its rear that includes two cameras and a flash, plus a hole-punch selfie camera on the front. At the bottom, the device seems to have a USB-C port along with its speaker and a microphone.
If you take a look at the outside of the device, it seems like there’s no fingerprint sensor which might mean that the scanner is placed beneath the screen, which is another similar feature that Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro have. According to the leaked images, the volume rocker and the power buttons are expected to be on the right side of the frame.
Now, what’s surprising is what seems to be the absence of a headphone jack. If the leaked images are accurate, Google’s new mid-range device appears to have no headphone jack. This will make it the first Pixel device to come without a headphone jack, considering that all Pixel 5A, Pixel 4A, and Pixel 3A all had one.
Another new feature discovered about the device in the leaked images is that it also seems to be more compact than its predecessors, Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Pixel 6A is expected to measure just 152.2 x 71.8. x 8.7mm and have a 6.2-inch display. This is significantly smaller compared to the size of Pixel 6, for example, which measures 158.6 x 74.8 x 8.9mm and has a 6.4-inch display.
The tech community can only guess what Google Pixel 6A will feature in terms of specifications. Considering that the 5A device, released in August, featured some pretty modest specifications like Snapdragon 765G and 12MP+16MP rear cameras, tech-savvies are expecting to see the 6A device with some improvements.
Another expected specification that the tech community is talking about is the internal storage of the Pixel 6A device. It is expected for the new mid-range device to have 6GB or 8GB of RAM and up to 128 GB of internal storage.
There is still no rumor related to the release date for Pixel 6A, and it isn’t easy to make a guess on this one, considering that the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro just made it to the market last month in October. So, it is expected that the tech community will have to wait a while to see some official images of Pixel 6A and hear about an official release date.


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Both the shares of Nokia and Motorola fell amid dismal forecasts for the first quarter, according to reports, undermining their leaders' efforts to boost handset sales as the onslaught from Apple and Android continues.
Bloomberg reported on Friday that Motorola Mobility--the mobile devices arm following the Jan. 4 split from its networking division--dropped 12 percent on the New York Stock Exchange to US$30.51.
The company predicted a first-quarter loss of 9 to 21 cents per share as sales slowed due to Verizon Wireless' impending iPhone launch next month, the report added.
Analysts polled by Bloomberg expressed a more positive outlook, though, forecasting a 1 US cent profit per share.
Finnish handset maker Nokia also saw its shares slip after CEO Stephen Elop acknowledged it was facing "some significant challenges in our competitiveness and our execution", according to a separate Bloomberg report.
Nokia's share tumbled 8.7 percent in Helsinki, and closed closing 0.8 percent lower at 7.74 euros (US$10.60), it stated.
Both reports had industry voices bemoaning the bleak financial outlooks of the two companies.
London-based analyst Pierre Ferragu from Sanford C. Bernstein, for one, called Motorola Mobility's outlook "slightly disappointing" and expressed concerns that Motorola's growth potential is limited by the company's footprint.
Meanwhile, Leon Cappaert, fund manager at KBC Asset Management in Belgium, which has investments in Nokia shares, similarly expressed anxiety over the Finnish company. "What spooks everyone is the outlook: a combination of lack of giving an upside and disappointing margins," he said.
Apple and Android loom large
Both Motorola Mobility CEO Sanjay Jha and Elop are looking to fend off competition from Apple's iPhone and Google's Android-based smartphones, Bloomberg noted.
For Motorola Mobility, competition will intensify once Verizon begins sales of the iPhone. The carrier is one of Motorola's staunchest allies, selling more of its phones than other U.S.-based carriers, the news wire said.
"We have seen some slowdown as a result of the announcement at Verizon," Jha said in the report, adding that "Android's popularity will help [Motorola] compete with Apple".
He also revealed that Motorola expects to ship between 20 to 23 million smartphones and tablets in 2011, and that Xoom, its first tablet, will be competitively priced to take on more expensive models like the iPad from Apple.
Since adopting the Android OS for its mobile devices, the company's sales have gotten a shoot in the arm, culminating in the company's return to profit for the first time since 2006, the report noted.
Nokia on the ropes
Nokia, on the other hand, are in more dire straits with neither analysts nor investors holding out any hopes for an improvement in company's fortunes, Bloomberg stated.
Alexander Peterc, an analyst with Exane BNP Paribas, said that he expected downgrades between 15 and 20 percent per share for first-quarter earnings and between 5 and 15 percent for full-year earnings, "depending on how negative people get".
Fellow analyst, Andy Perkins from Societe Generale Corporate & Investment Bank, said that Nokia itself is predicting a difficult first quarter that is "certainly much tougher than the markets were hoping for".
Analysts are expecting Nokia to ditch Symbian for either Google's Android or Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 OSes, said a New York Times report.
However, Nokia announced last December that Symbian will continue to be its main business-phone platform, even when its new top-end OS, MeeGo, is launched.
However, devices powered by MeeGo OS have yet to enter the market, Bloomberg pointed out.
" If we rush to market with something that is below what our brand should stand for, then we will do long-term harm," Elop explained in the report. The CEO added that he will lay out his strategy for the company at Nokia's investor meeting in London on Feb. 11.


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Fiscal Year 2009 Budget 124
Appendix - Annual Toll Revenue Certificate
Michael Colsch October 23, 2008 Page 3 of 6 In the labor market, private sector payrolls slowed markedly in late 2007 and early 2008. Private sector employment declined in the first half of 2008 at an average monthly rate of 94,000 jobs nationally, and the national unemployment rate rose to 5.5 percent. The sluggish pace of hiring, higher energy prices, lower equity prices and softening home prices have impacted consumer confidence and consumer spending. The Federal Reserve took several steps to stabilize the financial markets, extending credit to financial institutions and cutting the Federal Funds Rate beginning with a 50 basis point cut in September 2007. The Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee has cut the Federal Funds Rate six more times since September 2007, bringing the Federal Funds Rate to its current 2.0 percent level. Motor Fuel Prices A critical factor affecting the national and regional economy has been the sharp rise in energy prices, with crude oil trading at about $83 per barrel higher in early July 2008 compared to June 2007. According to the September 2008 Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Short Term Energy Outlook, the price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil increased sharply from approximately $58 per barrel in the first quarter of 2007 to approximately $145 per barrel in July 2008, falling back to approximately $117 per barrel in August 2008. National retail gasoline prices have moderated similarly, from a peak of $4.11 per gallon for regular gasoline for the week of July 14, 2008 to $3.81 per gallon for the week of August 11, 2008. Retail diesel prices have changed similarly, up from a national average of $2.55 per gallon in the first quarter of 2007 to approximately $4.76 per gallon on July 14th, to $4.35 per gallon on August 11, 2008. The EIA’s September 2008 Short-Term Energy Outlook report forecasts crude oil prices to average $116 per barrel in 2008, and $126 per barrel in 2009. Regular-grade gasoline is projected to average $3.61 per gallon nationally in 2008. Prices are forecast to remain high in 2009, with the average price of $3.88 per gallon in 2009. Diesel prices are forecast to average $4.09 per gallon nationally in 2008, and $4.26 per gallon in 2009. The domestic economic slowdown has dampened demand for gasoline and diesel, contributing to lower forecast prices later this year. Impact of Economy and Motor Fuel Prices on Travel The effect of the slowing economy and rising motor fuel prices on travel has been felt both nationally and regionally. The July 2008 issue of Traffic Volume Trends, published by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), based on approximately 4,000 continuous traffic counting locations nationwide, indicated that the estimated vehicle-miles of travel on all roads and streets nationwide declined by 3.6 percent compared to July 2007. The cumulative vehicle-miles of travel for the first seven months of 2008 was estimated to be 3.0 percent lower than the same period in 2007. The FHWA estimated that travel on urban arterial roads in Illinois declined by 0.8 percent in July 2008 compared to July 2007. This follows a decline of 4.5 percent in vehicle-miles traveled in June 2008 compared to the same month a year ago. It is anticipated that the effects of the economic slowdown and high gasoline prices will continue to be felt through the rest of 2008 and 2009. Traffic and Revenue Forecasts It was observed that revenues for the first eight months of 2008 were 3.6 percent lower than our prior forecast. We believe the decline in travel caused by the economic situation and motor fuel price increases will continue through 2009. The toll revenue forecasts provided herein reflect negative adjustments for the economy and high motor fuel prices for the rest of 2008 and all of 2009.
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Marketers are looking to increase marketing investment in emerging social media channels, such as TikTok, and away from old channels such as Twitter and Snapchat
While traditional digital giants including Instagram YouTube and Facebook still take the large majority share, there does appear to be evidence marketers and are willing to try the newer channels, particularly when targeting a younger audience.
Tiktok was the third-most-installed app worldwide in the first quarter of 2019, behind WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, and surpassed Instagram and Snapchat to be the leading short video application with 500 million monthly active users. The analyst firm added TikTok is fertile ground for brands to launch low-cost viral marketing campaigns. Tiktok in 2020 is also the platform where you can get the most effective organic reach.
Instagram and Facebook will see an increase in spending in the coming year, with a large majority of surveyed executives saying their investment will increase. YouTube is also expected to see an increase in spending.
In June’s edition of WARC’s Global Ad Trends, it was found ad growth in the social and messaging sector had halved over the year. WARC’s Marketer’s Toolkit found one in five marketers intends to reduce spend on Facebook in 2020, with Twitter and Snapchat also facing the prospect of muted revenue growth. This could be a signal of a changing of the guard; Americans aged 13 to 16 years-old are already using TikTok more than they are Facebook and Twitter.
This cooling in growth comes at a time when trust in information on social media reached new lows and calls for greater regulation for tech and social media companies grow louder.
With the increased investment in online video and digital channels including YouTube and TikTok, marketers are clearly aware of consumers’ love for video. As such, live video is an emerging technology. Contact us


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Brecon albarino awarded ‘best in show’ from Sunset Wine Competition
–The Sunset International Wine Competition announced the results of its 2020 competition last week. Taking “Best of Show – White” was the 2019 Central Coast Albariño from Brecon Estate in Paso Robles. This latest acknowledgment tops a rise for Brecon Estate’s team, which this October will celebrate eight years since the purchase of its Vineyard Drive property.
Brecon has been at the forefront of producing world-class Paso Robles varietals including petit verdot, albariño, mourvedre, cabernet franc, and syrah “all with just a hint of international flair,” the winery said in an announcement.
Damian Grindley, Brecon’s winemaker said he was particularly humbled by this latest accolade. It is truly unusual for a lesser-known varietal such as albariño to top such a prestigious show, particularly from a region arguably better known for its red wine offerings, he says. Grindley is also the founder of the Central Coast Albarino Summit which regularly gathers growers and enthusiasts of albariño from all over California to Paso Robles.
Brecon Estate’s wines are sold exclusively on-site at their tasting room located at 7450 Vineyard Drive in Paso Robles. Brecon is open daily between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.


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(Cleveland, OH) Cleveland Indians fans continue to have a positive view of Chief Wahoo.
A Baldwin Wallace University survey found a majority of northeast Ohio residents are proud of the team's longtime mascot and believe it represents the city as much as the ballclub.
The Indians announced plans over the winter to drop Chief Wahoo from on-field use next year. The team continues to sell clothing and merchandise with the iconic logo.
Meantime, the Tribe opens the 2018 season tonight on the road against the Seattle Mariners.


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Italian sportscar manufacturer Automobili Lamborghini is celebrating the success of not one but two important milestones of its Huracan and Aventador sportscars. Lamborghini Aventador as it reaches its six years production anniversary the company says that it has achieved an important milestone in its history with 7,000 units produced. Chassis number 7,000 is an Aventador S Roadster, which was launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2017. The jubilee model in Grigio Adamas rolled off the assembly line destined for the US American market. On the other hand, the Lamborghini Huracan has also scripted its own success story with 9000 units produced in just three years. Lamborghini confirms that the The Blue Nethuns car, chassis number 9,000, is a Huracán Performante and will be delivered to a customer in Dubai.
Lamborghini Aventador and Lamborghini Huracan:
Currently the company sells two versions of its Lamborghini Aventador, the Aventador S and Aventador S Roadster.The seven thousandth Aventador that rolled out from company’s assembly line is powered by a new V12 engine with a whopping 740 HP and the exclusiveness of Lamborghini design. The Aventador S Roadster reinforces this mixture of dynamism, refinement and aggressiveness by means of even sharper lines, inspired by nature and aeronautics, with exhaust terminals that transform the rear end into that of a space shuttle and a front end that recalls the strength and elegance of a shark ready to dominate the road.
During the global unveil of this sportscar, Stefano Domenicali, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Automobili Lamborghini had said, “The new Aventador S Roadster sets new benchmarks in technology and performance on both road and track, with the roadster version adding a new dimension in driving enjoyment.”
Lamborghini Huracan has been a successful model for the company and within three years of its launch has become the second most sold Lamborghini sporscar after the Gallardo that piled up a total sales of 14,000 units in its 11 years lifespan. We expect the Lamborghini Huracan to overtake Gallardo’s sales in next 3-4 years. Currently, the company is selling five different variants of its Huracan worldwide.
However, all eyes will now be on the Lamborghini Urus SUV which will make its global debut on 4th December 2017. Lamborghini Urus SUV has already been teased by the company and it claims to be the first ever Super Sport Utility Vehicle.


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That didn't take long. Not that we're surprised, or anything. When it comes to new technologies, no one moves faster than the adult entertainment industry (read: porn). And, let's face it, the moment Steve Jobs announced the iPhone 4's FaceTime video chat, pundits were already discussing the potential...sexy applications for such a feature.
I guess that's just the way our brains are programmed, though it certainly doesn't hurt that Jobs has painted himself as a staunch anti-porn crusader since the launch of the iPhone App Store, which has blocked apps over the use of terms like "boobs" and "booty."
Business Insider spotted a listing over at Craigslist's New York site advertising a "iPhone 4 FaceTime Video Sex Line Chat," a mere four days after the launch of the iPhone 4. The ad is actually looking to hire women as sex chatters. Here's a bit of the description:
"Starting an online interactive pornography firm where woman will use the iphone 4 to video chat with potential customers on a pay as you go basis."
The ad, oddly, describes it as an "internship" at a "non-profit." No word on school credits, but the company does promise that, "pay will increase as the business builds." Also, ladies will get an iPhone 4 "to use as personal time when not working."
Sounds like a pretty sweet deal, huh?
Originally posted to AppScout.


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Windows 7 is doing quite well helping out with 64bit adoption as Microsoft’s Brandon LeBlanc has revealed that, out of all Win7 installs (which are over 150 million), 46% are of the 64bit version, the rest 54% being 32bit – in comparison just 11% of Vista installs are 64bit.
“The reason for the jump in transition to 64-bit PCs can be attributed to a few things,” said LeBlanc on the Windows Team Blog. “The first is the price of memory has dropped over the last several years making it easier for OEMs to up the amount of memory in the PCs they ship. And most major processors in PCs today are capable of running a 64-bit OS. There are also more and more compatible devices and applications for PCs running 64-bit Windows 7.”
46% is certainly a sweet percentage but the 64bit mania won’t stop here as more and more consumers and businesses make the transition. Gartner predicts that, by 2014, 75% of all business PCs will be running a 64bit edition of Windows, while on the consumer side, certain markets, one example being the US, are already favoring 64bit. Despite the big push enabled by Windows 7, 64bit still has a long way to go to become the norm but it’s getting there.


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The year is off to a good start. I'm looking forward to kicking 2020 in the tush — if I can just get it together.
I just have to figure out what "it" is and find the glue, tape or staples to hold "it" all together.
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
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British breastfeeding clothing firm has lost thousands after being hit by Facebook’s no-nudity rule
- A British firm selling clothes that make breastfeeding easier has lost thousands
- Bshirt’s Facebook adverts were banned for breaching adult content policies
- The Devonshire business created adverts that do not not feature explicit content
A British firm selling clothes that make breastfeeding easier has lost thousands after its Facebook adverts were banned for breaching adult content policies – despite not featuring anything explicit.
Bshirt, based in Totnes, Devon, designs vests, shirts and dresses that give women quick access to their breasts for when they need to feed their baby.
Like many modern small businesses, many of Bshirt’s sales are generated by exposure on the social media site. But last month, the firm, which was founded by two mothers in 2017, had half its revenue stream cut off when Meta, Facebook’s parent company, pulled its adverts for supposedly featuring adult content.
Lisa Lessware, Bshirt’s co-founder, told The Mail on Sunday they had missed out on £15,000 worth in sales.
A British firm selling clothes that make breastfeeding easier has lost thousands after its Facebook adverts were banned for breaching adult content policies – despite not featuring anything explicit
She said: ‘We’ve been existing online for six years doing really well. So to have that turned off overnight was devastating.
‘We’re utterly beholden to these social media giants and they don’t give a toss if they are making lives miserable or not.’
Mrs Lessware said that Facebook’s automatic systems had sometimes flagged their adverts in the past as potentially containing adult content, which is banned on the site.
‘But we could always request a human to review it,’ she added, ‘and they would always say they are absolutely fine. Yet this time they said the decision was correct and that we were permanently banned.’
Bshirt’s owners, who spend £5,000 a month on online adverts, claimed they found it impossible to speak to anyone at Meta about the decision, and ended up paying £500 to a US-based firm called Admission which specialises in unblocking Facebook adverts.
‘But not every company would be able to do that,’ said Mrs Lessware. ‘You should be able to have these decisions reviewed without having to pay magic consultants.’
Facebook eventually unblocked Bshirt’s adverts last week, which has seen sales return to normal levels.
Mrs Lessware added: ‘We don’t have the reserves to survive another ban. We’re a small brand and we need to pay wages and our suppliers.’
Mrs Lessware said that Facebook’s automatic systems had sometimes flagged their adverts in the past as potentially containing adult content, which is banned on the site
Jackie Rotman, founder of the Centre For Intimacy Justice which campaigns for advertising policies on tech platforms to be more open to women’s issues, said: ‘In a study on businesses working in areas such as menopause, fertility, endometriosis and pregnancy, 100 per cent of them experienced adverts being rejected on Meta platforms.’
Last night a spokesman for Meta said: ‘Ads are governed by a stricter set of policies because they receive paid distribution to appear in people’s feeds.
‘A number of ads were removed in error. We apologise for this mistake and are working to improve our systems.’
Source: Read Full Article


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Reno wore "Protect our West" specialty jerseys Saturday night with auction proceeds benefitting the Wildland Firefighter Foundation. There was also a fireworks show.
I really liked the jerseys. One of the better designs we've had: the color scheme was sharp and the silhouetted firefighter on the flank looked cool. In addition, Smokey Bear and dozens of local fire departments were at the park.
Also, this is a good chance to mention Global Force Wrestling and its Aug. 22 show at Aces Ballpark. Jeff Jarrett, owner and founder of GFW—a new wrestling circuit—was at the ballpark promoting the upcoming event.
On the field, the Aces beat the 51s 8-5.
|Travis Taijeron and Dan Rohlfing.|
|Phil Nevin and Blake Lalli.|


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By adopting a more innovative approach to its business, Aberdeen-based seafood company Joseph Robertson has reinvented itself. The last decade has seen the company’s workforce increase from 50 to 225, while turnover has quadrupled.
Originally providing frozen fish to the food service market, family-owned business Joseph Robertson now supplies a range of chilled products to retailers across the UK. These include supermarket own-label brands and the company’s own Swankies and Get Hooked brands.
The business has gone through a transformation that’s boosted turnover from £8 million to £32 million, while jobs have more than quadrupled - from 50 employees to 225. Ryan Robertson, great-great grandson of the company’s founder, says the transformation wouldn’t have been possible without workplace innovation and help from Scottish Enterprise.
“We’re quite a small business in terms of this industry. Being family-owned we don’t have the same capabilities or resources as some of the big guys like Young’s and Birds Eye. We have to do something different to stand out and establish ourselves in the market,” he said.
Ryan describes some of the support Joseph Robertson has received, which has allowed the company to further its growth.
“One thing we pride ourselves on as a business is our ability to be innovative, creating new products to take into the marketplace. We’re always on the lookout for new ideas and trying to be first to market with innovations that set us apart.
“Scottish Enterprise has been working pretty closely with us for the last 15 years or so and the growth of the business is down in part to the programmes it’s created for us.”
Ryan entered the business four years ago, and last year participated in the company’s Management Development Programme, organised by Scottish Enterprise. It aims to give ambitious and talented young middle managers the tools and mentoring to reach senior management level.
“It was probably a year that the whole course lasted, during which we were set goals and targets, and working on a combined project for the business that we could implement to try to bring value to it,” said Ryan.
“The biggest thing that we got out of the programme was a sense of common shared values. It’s helped everyone in the group grow within their roles and realise how key they are to the success of the business.
“Being in Aberdeen, we have to compete with the big salaries in the oil and gas industry. But this programme has helped us to hold onto everyone and keep progressing their careers while moving the business forward.”
New business models
The company was recognised for its efforts with the Investing in Skills Development Award at 2016’s annual Grampian Food Forum Awards. Ryan reckons it’s a model that could easily be employed elsewhere.
“A lot of the skills and one-on-one mentoring involved in the programme would, I think, be very useful to a lot of other businesses,” he said. “What it shows is a willingness to invest in the future.
“Times are tough right now, but it’s important for businesses not to be scared, to put investment in now to get reward for it further down the line.
“We’ve seen growth year-on-year for the past ten years and the support mechanism Scottish Enterprise provides has definitely played a key role in how our business has been able to adapt.
“We’re trying to stay ahead of the market and the fact we’re a relatively small business, compared to the main players in our industry, means we’re always forced to try to look one step ahead.
“With funds, resources and the knowledge they’ve been able to pass on, Scottish Enterprise has allowed us to do that.”
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The free pre-show registration deadline for the Mid-America Trucking Show is coming up Thursday, Feb. 28. After this deadline, registrations online or onsite will cost $10.
The annual show will return to the Kentucky Exhibition Center in Louisville, Kentucky, March 28-30. Peterbilt, Kenworth, and Cummins will have exhibits at the show, in addition to hundreds of other exhibitors.
- Thursday, March 28: (VIP) 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Thursday, March 28: 1-6 p.m.
- Friday, March 29: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Saturday, March 30: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Show Location: Kentucky Expo Center, 937 Phillips Lane, Louisville, Kentucky 40209
Registration: Registration is available for free online until Feb. 28. After Feb. 28, online registration will cost $10 or tickets can be purchased at the door for $10.
Parking: Free truck parking will be available at Papa Johns Cardinal Stadium. A free shuttle service will be on site to take truckers from the truck parking lot to the Kentucky Expo Center and back during show hours.


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Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Hawaii might be a paradise for another reason beyond all the natural wonders: According to a recent study, Hawaii is the most vegan-friendly U.S. state.
What makes Hawaii the best state for vegans? According to KITV Honolulu, a recent study found that the state has the highest number of fully vegan restaurants per capita of anywhere in the nation. The analysis was conducted using data pulled from Yelp, Happy Cow, and the 2020 U.S. Census. By this vegan restaurants per capita metric, Hawaii surfed to the top of the heap. Oregon took second place, followed by Rhode Island, Maryland, and California.
Some locals believe the high number of vegan restaurants could be related to growing interest in healthy ways of eating. “In Hawaii, we do have a lot of people who have diabetes or cardiovascular issues, so helping them move to a plant based diet can help them,” dietician Dash Cope told KITV.
The study also looked at the states with the lowest rates of vegan restaurants. Pulling up the rear with the fewest plant-based restaurants per capita were Oklahoma (50), Mississippi (49), and Alabama (48).


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Greg Smith explains how Medtronic is working with suppliers to forge a stronger supply chain
Greg Smith brought decades of supply chain experience with him when he joined Medtronic last year during the throes of pandemic-induced pressures on supply chain. Over that time, Smith has been working with company leaders and outside suppliers to mitigate the challenges being wrought by the string of global crises. In this episode, we’ll learn how Medtronic is working to build a stronger supply chain that will allow it to build an inventory capable of keeping critical medical devices flowing to customers.
This podcast is sponsored by Donatelle.


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Katie Price has made a deal with creditors to avoid bankruptcy.
For months now reports have been saying that Katie is going bankrupt after her life went on a downward spiral but it seems there might be a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.
Katie was in court on Tuesday when she agreed a plan to pay back what she owes.
Katie who split from her husband Kieran Hayler earlier this year after she found out that he had been cheating on her again.
We will keep you posted when we found out more news on this story.
According to sources ITV have decided to to ‘scrap’ the twelve camp mate due to the amount of money they paid to have Noel Edmonds in the jungle on I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here.
Sources have been saying that they are paying a whopping £600,000 for Noel to enter the jungle s he will be the highest paid celebrity on the show this series.
Due to them paying him so much money the show bosses have decided not to have a the last camp mate like they normally do.
A source has said:
‘Bosses for I’m A Celebrity spent so much on signing Noel for the show that there’s only 11 contestants planned this year.
According to sources Katie Price has been forced to do her food shopping in Aldi after her ex husband Kieran Hayler blew all their money on shopping in M&S.
Kieran has apparently been racking up the bills on her credit card when he was doing the weekly shop for the family.
A source has said to The Sun:
‘He had a card for Katie’s account for the household spending, and her team were supposed to keep an eye on where he was spending money,’ they said. ‘Katie had been suspicious he was cheating on her for a while, so wanted to track where he went and keep an eye on budgets. ‘He was only supposed to spend money at the local Tesco, the country supplies store near the house and the petrol station, but now it looks like Kieran spent way over £500 a week on food supplies.’
Another source has said to the Metro that both Katie and Kieran where to blame for the massive weekly shopping budget.
They were the talk of this year’s series of Love Island but it seems all that drama is going to make Wes Nelson and Megan Barton-Hanson go laughing to the bank.
It’s been said that Wes is going to make a whopping £300,000 just by doing appearances in nightclubs while his girlfriend Megan is set to make £2 million according to sources.
Wes is doing a 59 club appearance tour where he is paid to party in nightclubs and pose with fans and generally have an amazing time.
Megan has been said to have signed some lucrative new deals.
A source has said to The Sun:
‘He is one of the most in demand acts from Love Island due to his success on the show and his cheeky chap nature and will earn well into the six-figure sum from his PAs alone, and that’s ignoring any of the other branding endorsements he will also undertake.
It continued to say:
‘He’s very likely to earn £300,000+ from his PA tour. In fact, Wes is so in demand that he is turning down appearances – most of his available dates have gone. Numerous brands are fighting to sign Wes up to big branding campaigns and endorsements.’
Looks like they are going to be a very wealthy couple.
Today hundreds of people lined up to get into Build A Bear shops as they launched ‘pay you’re age’.
The deal means that people who buy a Bear only page their age price.
Hundreds of people took to the streets outside Bournemouth’s store waiting to get in and the line went all the way though the town.
At the branch in Bournemouth security where forced to man the que to make sure their wasn’t any kick offs.
Did you get any toys for a good price?
Viewers to The Real Full Monty Ladies Night have been left furious after it’s been said that the celebrities who have appeared on the show including Megan McKenna,Coleen Nolan, Michelle Heaton and more where apparently paid £10,000 each to appear on the show.
The show was in aid to raise awareness of cancer and they aired all the charity phone numbers at the bottom of the screen to help breast cancer charities and raised £4,000.
Now fans have urged the girls to donate their fee for appearing on the show to breast cancer charities.
ITV never said that the show was for charity and wasn’t meant to raise money for the charities but it was to raise awareness of breast cancer.
One person wrote on Twitter:
‘If you’re doing something for charity it should be unpaid … not impressed.’
Another one wrote:
‘What a farce the “Full Monty Cancer Appeal” by so-called caring stars … Greedy sods I say donate your fees now.’
What are your feelings?


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FedEx Corp. has announced that it is developing an autonomous delivery device to help retailers make same-day and last-mile deliveries.
The device is a delivery robot the company calls FedEx SameDay Bot. The bot will allow retailers to accept orders from nearby customers and deliver them by robot directly to homes and businesses on the same day. FedEx said it is already working with companies including AutoZone, Lowe’s, Pizza Hut, Target, Walgreens and Walmart to assess what retailers need from a same-day delivery robot.
FedEx’s decision to use robots for delivery comes on the heels of a number of big-name companies experimenting with the idea including Amazon, who recently unveiled its Amazon Scout electric-powered crawler and PepsiCo Inc.’s launch of Snackbot, a portable vending machine on wheels. Prior to these announcements, a number of startups have been developing robots and running pilot projects to test the devices, including Starship Technologies, Postmates, Kiwi and Robby Technologies.
Because FedEx is one of the largest delivery companies in the world, the fact that it is now developing a robot for delivery purposes is significant. Combined with Amazon’s plans, this is no longer just a matter of if robotic delivery will happen, but more a question of when.
FedEx is developing the SameDay Bot with DEKA Development & Research, which has developed a personal mobility device called iBot for those with disabilities. The FedEx bot uses the power base from the iBot, an FDA-approved device with more than 10 million hours of real-world operation.
The FedEx bot can travel on sidewalks and along roadsides to both homes and businesses. The battery-powered zero-emission robot includes lidar and multiple cameras. The bot also features machine learning algorithms to detect and avoid obstacles to plot a safe path and allow the bot to follow road and safety rules.
FedEx said it plans to test the robot this summer in select markets involving deliveries between selected FedEx office locations including Memphis, Tennessee. Currently, FedEx’s SameDay City service operates in 32 markets and 1,900 cities using its vehicles. The FedEx bot will complement the SameDay City service, the company said.


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SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — Lee Jung Jae and Kim Hye Soo top the March 2022 brand reputation rankings for movie stars by Korean Business Research Institute. Meanwhile, another Squid Game star Jung Ho Yeon is in close third place.
Korean Business Research Institute made an official release about the March 2022 brand reputation rankings for movie stars. The Korean Business Research Institute analyzed data that determines the brand reputation rankings of movie stars for this month of 2022.
The determined and produced rankings are from the big data collected from February 9 to March 9, 2022, through an examination of media coverage, interaction, consumer participation, and community awareness indexes of 50 famous movie stars in Korea.
According to the brand reputation rankings, the South Korean actor, businessman, and former model, Lee Jung Jae has topped the March list with a brand reputation index of 8,612,929. The recorded high-ranking phrases in Lee Jung Jae’s keyword analysis include the following: ‘Squid Game,’ ‘Best Male Actor award,’ and ‘advertisement model.’ And while the actor’s highest-ranking related terms included ‘congratulate,’ ‘award,’ and ‘thank.’
On the brand reputation ranking list, the South Korean actress, Kim Hye-soo, earned second place with a brand reputation index of 7,576,693.
While the South Korean model and actress and Lee Jung Jae’s co-star in ‘Squid Game,’ Jung Ho-Yeon, has a brand reputation index of 7,331,884. Jung Ho-Yeon’s brand reputation index makes her close to third place.
The South Korean actor, Hyun Bin, also made it to the brand reputation ranking and ranked fourth on the list for March, gaining a brand reputation index of 7,224,437.
Park Seo-Joon, featured in the Korean drama series, ‘Itaewon Class,’ gained a total brand reputation index of 6,684,863, making him top five in the brand reputation ranking list Korean Business Research Institute data analysis.
Lee Jung Jae: A 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awardee
At the 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards last March 6 at the Santa Monica Pier in California, Lee Jung Jae, a star in the Korean hit series on Netflix, ‘Squid Game,’ won the best actor award.
Lee Jung Jae got a SAG Awards statuette as he obtained the Best Male Performance in the ‘Squid Game’ series. – WhatALife!
Also Read: Screen Actors Guild Awards: A Winning Moment for ‘Ted Lasso,’ ‘Squid Game,’ and Troy Kotsur
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* See the Top 34 All-brands ranking by clicking on the title! *
The Singaporean new car market continues its impressive recovery, up another 69% year-on-year in October to 2,775 registrations which brings the year-to-date total to 22,899 units, up 22% on 2013. This return to form for new car sales in the country is linked to price receding for Certificates of Entitlement (essentially the right to drive a car in Singapore), making mass market brands affordable again and now hitting premium carmakers. If BMW is down 24% this month (-12% YTD) and Audi is down 11% so far in 2014, Mercedes completely bucks the trend, improving by 46% to take the lead of the brands ranking for the first time since last February thanks to 488 sales, and increasing its year-to-date gain to 21%. reduced new car sales to mainly premium brands. Toyota-Lexus is knocked down to 2nd place despite sales up 55% but remains in pole position YTD with a 61% gain. Mazda is up a huge 333% on October 2013 to climb onto the podium with just under 10% share, Honda is up 6-fold to #5, Nissan up 259% to #7, Kia up 473% to #9, Hyundai up 529% to #11 and Subaru up 729% to #12 while Porsche doubles its sales year-on-year to 38 units.
Previous month: Singapore September 2014: Honda increases sales 8-fold
One year ago: Singapore October 2013: Mercedes back in charge
Full October 2014 Top 34 All-brands Ranking Table below.


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Recruitment technology provider AD1 Holdings (ASX: AD1) has provided an update on its now 100% owned subsidiary, Art of Mentoring, confirming it has “delivered on expectations” set during the acquisition process.
The mentoring Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business, which AD1 acquired nine months ago, has seen its client base grow by 24 new clients (or 63%) year on year – 20 of these being attained since the acquisition.
In addition, Art of Mentoring achieved a year-on-year revenue growth of 35% and AD1 said the business is “well positioned to continue its aggressive growth in FY 2022 and beyond”.
“The division’s growth aspirations are well supported by strategic investments in product enhancement as well as its sales and marketing capability to expedite the realisation of its growing sales pipeline,” it stated in today’s announcement.
Art of Mentoring is already embedded within government and professional associations, with recently secured government sector clients including the NSW Public Service Commission and Infrastructure NSW, and the platform is quickly gaining momentum within the corporate sector.
Other notable customers signed up in the last year include Toyota Australia, Aurizon, Royal Australian Navy, Equiti Group, Australian Dental Industry Association, Murdoch’s Children Research Institute and ABC Connect.
The most opportune time to grow a virtual business is a pandemic
“Our growth in FY 2021 is evidence of how well-positioned Art of Mentoring already was to provide virtual solutions for mentoring at a time when the pandemic required it,” Art of Mentoring managing director Melissa Richardson said.
“We have enjoyed increased revenue in mentoring platform sales but also a significant uptick in sales of online training licences in Australia, New Zealand and overseas.”
“Product improvements in FY22 should accelerate this trend,” Ms Richardson added.
She said being part of the AD1 group allows Art of Mentoring to tap into a new expertise and prospect base.
“We will continue to innovate so we can cater to the growing global interest in mentoring as a solution for connecting, supporting and developing remote workers.”
Art of Mentoring’s SaaS business designs, implements and provides mentoring services to organisations. The services are underpinned by evidenced-based programs, expert consultants and software.
AD1 acquired the business via the issue of $1 million in cash upfront plus $500,000 in shares.


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| Gao Feng, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (Source: Sina)
In the first seven months of the year, bilateral trade volume surged 40%, said Ministry spokesperson Gao Feng at a press conference. During that period, China's imports from the US jumped 50%, while exports rose 37%. That shows that the two economies are complementary, Gao said, insisting that bilateral trade cooperation serves the interests of both countries and peoples.
China has maintained that the imposition of new tariffs by the US is good neither for China, nor for the US, nor for the global economy.


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Lattice Technology announced the availability of its latest release of Lattice3D Reporter, v7.1. This software plug-in for Microsoft Excel allows the authoring of spreadsheets with embedded interactive 3D models and associated information such as work instructions and parts lists. After the PDF is created, it can be consumed by anyone using Adobe Reader.
This latest version allows even non-CAD users to create 3D PDFs containing interactive 3D models directly from Lattice3D Reporter without any programming or script writing.
“Our vision is to enable manufacturing companies to make better use of their 3D model data by leveraging this data into other parts of the organization and supply chain. Lattice3D Reporter is already broadly used by companies to create robust Microsoft Excel spreadsheets with embedded interactive models that provide unprecedented clarity and free access to anyone who has Microsoft Excel,” said Bill Barnes, Lattice Technology general manager for Americas and Europe. “Version 7.1 extends this capability by including rich product data into a 3D PDF that is ISO approved and essentially accessible and free to anyone with a computer.”
For more information, visit Lattice Technology.
Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.


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We were tasked with building a new backlink profile for Mercedes specialist Dronsfields that would boost awareness and natural search traffic.
After previous bad experiences, the client wanted a whiter-than-white approach that would build high-value, PR-based links.
We challenged students at Manchester Metropolitan University to select a piece of scrap metal from Dronsfields and turn it into a piece of art.
The task – a spin on TV’s Scrapheap Challenge – involved turning the scrap into a sculpture. The finished sculptures were exhibited and auctioned off, raising funds for partner charities.
Local press, students and charity representatives were all invited to the auction, and the event generated coverage both online and in traditional print media.
It’s estimated that around 50% of consumers who conducted a search on their smartphone to find a store visited the store that they found within a 24 hour period and 18% of people even went as far as to secure the intended sale that very same day. Local search refers to consumers using terms such […]
Local SEO is becoming more and more important for businesses looking to cater to a potential online audience of millions who might be trying to search for them on a local level. The opportunity to capitalise on these searches is huge! Businesses with multiple locations, however, have a much more difficult challenge than single store […]
Having a solid local SEO strategy in place is becoming more and more important for businesses wanting to keep up in an increasingly digital marketplace. The way customers access information and make a purchase is seamless to the point where if they cannot find contact information for your business instantly, they will ultimately choose one […]


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Now available for download in the Google Play store
Google released the first ever app designed to managing AdWords campaigns. It is now available live in the Google Play store.
This is the first time Google has launched a native app for monitoring and managing AdWords campaigns. The app was specifically designed to be used as a companion to the desktop version where you cannot set up campaigns but can only maintain or adjust existing campaigns and view stats.
When you launch it, you’ll see a dashboard containing an overview of your clicks, impressions costs, and conversions and click-through. You can also check data by ad group, day of week and device.
In terms of administrative usefulness, you’ll have the capacity to overhaul offers and plans from the app. Campaign recommendations are likewise available and accessible, alongside the capacity to enact them.
Google clarifies that this app is intended to alert clients when an opportunity emerges that they can follow up on. For instance, on the off chance that you can get more impressions by modifying your bids, the app will tell you so you can roll out the improvements without even a second’s pause.
To check out the app for yourself, you can download it today from the Google Play Store.


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Flotek Industries, Inc. will make a presentation at the Cowen and Company Ultimate Energy Conference in New York City on 3 December 2014. John Chisholm, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Flotek, will present to conference attendees beginning at 10:20am EDT.
The presentation will be webcast live and can be accessed from Flotek's website, www.flotekind.com. The presentation slides will be available on the Flotek website coincident with the conference presentation.
Adapted from a press release by Joe Green
Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/drilling-and-production/03122014/flotek-new-york-cowen-ultimate-energy-conference-december-17/


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there are three ingredients in
McDonald’s French fries:
potatoes, oil, and salt. But if
you assumed that you’d be far
Starting last year McDonald’s began a
transparency campaign most likely to create a
more health- and consumer-conscious image
of the corporation. As a result the company
has made their ingredient lists and processing
techniques available on their website. Out of
curiosity, I had to know exactly what is in those fries.
It turns out that there are 17
ingredients in Mickey D’s
-Canola oil—Most canola oil is now genetically-modified.
Continue reading at the link below:
George Pierce | Press Release: Can You Stand The Shocking Truth About McDonald's Fries?


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Reblogging for future reference. This part was particularly informative:
“There is zero evidence that a trade deficit is an indication of economic weakness. Indeed, since wealthier people can afford to buy more goods and services than poor people, a trade deficit oftentimes is a sign that a nation has a prosperous economy.
“Moreover, the flip side of a trade deficit is a capital surplus. In other words, foreigners who earn dollars by selling to consumers in the United States sometimes decide that investing in America is the best use of those dollars. That’s a positive indicator.
“Last but not least, it’s worth noting that countries don’t trade. Instead, trade is between consumers and businesses and those transaction are – by definition – mutually beneficial. Interfering with those transactions is pernicious government intervention.”
On the one-year anniversary of his inauguration, I graded Trump’s overall record on economic policy and specifically observed that his trade rhetoric was worse than his trade policy. But I added a caveat about the North American Free Trade Agreement.
…he’s been doing a lot of saber-rattling, but fortunately not drawing too much blood. That being said, he is threatening to pull the United States out of NAFTA, which would be a very big mistake.
Unfortunately, this is not an idle threat. So let’s look at what some experts have said about the value of NAFTA to the American economy.
We’ll start with a column from today’s Washington Post by the CEO of Union Pacific. He worries that the good news on taxes will be offset by bad news on trade.
Freight railroads are the bloodstream of U.S. business, supporting the livelihoods of employees in nearly every sector of the…
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